Living in or being from the Caribbean is a truly wonderful thing. You get to experience the melding of different cultures; you get nice hot summers and some of the most beautiful beaches you’ve ever seen, and you get the amazing food. Caribbean food is often inspired by not only the cultures there but also the land and what grows naturally. Meaning some of the most loved foods in Caribbean cuisine are actually good for you and provides health benefits. One of those popular foods is peanut butter punch. It is a frothy, creamy drink with a bunch of peanut butter. It is the ultimate drink after playing in the hot sun all day. Peanut punch is good for you too, and it is a great supplement for the body.
What Is Peanut Punch?
Peanut Punch is a popular energy drink in Jamaica. It is high in protein. It is regarded by many Jamaicans as an aphrodisiac. It is commonly sold by street vendors who may use various secret ingredients to stake their claim of having the best peanut punch.
Health Benefits of Peanuts
Sustained Energy
The high energy levels from the peanuts would benefit anyone who requires an extra energy boost such as fitness enthusiast or perhaps used as something to wake the body up.
Complex Carbs
The complex carbohydrates that are present in peanuts are release slowly. This means you won’t experience an immediate crash and burn. Also, protein is noted for being quite filling and digested at a much slower rate.
Vital Nutrients
Peanuts are packed with nutrients such as protein, fiber, healthy fats, potassium, antioxidants, magnesium and others too. One serving of peanut butter will give you at least 3 mg of the antioxidant Vitamin E. Additionally; you will also get magnesium (about 49g) which is excellent for bone building and muscle recovery and a small but still important amount (0.17 mg) of vitamin B6 that will help boost your immunity. You can also find a small amount of zinc in peanut butter, and this too can act as a good immunity booster.
Potassium
Peanuts stand out as a good source of potassium, a mineral that does a whole lot of work in the body. Potassium which is a great way to counteract the excessive intake of sodium. Potassium balances out the negative effects our body may be having with sodium. Significantly, it helps in maintaining the blood pressure levels. While potassium has many sources, the potassium that you get from peanuts is special because it comes in a high protein and healthy fats and fiber package. This helps in managing blood pressure levels and avoiding health complications like stroke
Fiber Rich
Peanuts are rich in fiber which is great for controlling blood sugar, lowering blood pressure, helping with weight loss and is great to help with the digestive system.
Weight Loss
Peanuts help with weight loss. Now that might sound strange due to peanuts having a high-calorie count but eating peanut butter actually suppresses hunger which leads to weight loss. It has a combination of fiber and protein that keeps you feeling full for longer, so you end up eating less overall.
Heart Healthy
Hearts can also benefit from peanut butter. Peanut butter contains a substance called p-coumaric acid which helps in offsetting the damage done to cells associated with cardiovascular diseases. Also, peanut butter contains more unsaturated fat than saturated fat making it a fat friendly food which lowers the risk of cardiovascular and coronary heart disease.
Piceatannol
Peanut butter also has piceatannol which helps the body prevent immature fat cells growing into mature ones.
Niacin
Peanuts are one of the foods highest in niacin, and people who eat foods rich in niacin, i.e., Vitamin B3 are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or other memory disorders. The niacin contained within peanut butter helps in the recovery of cell damage of the brain, which protects against this disease.
Also, the p-coumaric acid content in peanut butter helps fight the oxidative stress on the cells of the body associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
Control of Blood Sugar
Peanuts and peanut butter have been shown to positively affect blood sugar control and help decrease the risk of diabetes. According to a study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association, “Eating about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter at least 5 days a week can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by almost 30%, particularly Type 2 Diabetes”.
Iron & Calcium
Iron and calcium are found in abundance in peanut butter which is important for transporting oxygen in the blood and promoting healthy, strong bones. According to The Orthopedic Group, P.C, “Including healthy protein in your daily diet like peanut butter is a good option to maintain strong bones.”
Lowers LDL
Studies have shown that consuming peanut butter in moderation can actually reduce the risk of gallstones by 25%. This is because a large percentage of gallstones are cholesterol stones, which are linked to high levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol. Peanuts have the ability to lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and increasing ‘good’ cholesterol, i.e., HDL, thereby reducing the possibility of developing gallstones.
Activates Antioxidants
Red wine is well known for its antioxidant activity, and it is a great source of the powerful antioxidant resveratrol. However, peanuts are another potent but lesser known source of the nutrient. In studies, resveratrol has been associated with increased brain blood flow, which decreases the risk of stroke. Routinely eating peanuts or peanut butter can boost your resveratrol consumption, potentially harnessing its beneficial antioxidant power.
Tradition & History
Peanut punch is a beverage popular in Trinidad, and it is made with peanut butter, milk, sugar and sometimes spices. It is also available commercially in supermarkets and grocery stores as well as cater to those markets. In Trinidad and Tobago, peanut punch is a popular drink that is often sold on sidewalks or in established food stores. The drink is traditionally marketed as an energy drink and made with a variety of ingredients according to the vendor.
The main ingredients of the drink include peanuts/peanut butter, milk, and sugar. However, variations occur whereby regular milk is often replaced or added to a mixture including condensed milk, spices (dominantly nutmeg and cinnamon), corn flakes, Angostura bitters, glucose powder and quite often granola mix. The drink is often regarded by some to be an aphrodisiac due to its high fat, protein, and overall energy content.
Former Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers CB Charles Tillman enjoys peanut punch and its benefits so much that he has his own variation of the drink. His variation of the original drink adds the additional ingredients of Early Times (which is a brand of Kentucky whiskey and the amount varies based on desired strength of the drink and taste) and a splash of pickle juice. The drink was first introduced in 2009 and is a popular drink at tailgates around the Chicago area.
Tradition Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ lb. Shelled Roasted Peanuts or ½ lb. Peanut Butter
- 2 cups Water
- 1 can Condensed Milk (or Soy Milk with sweetened with Brown Sugar)
- ½ tsp Vanilla Essence
- ½ tsp grated Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Honey
- ½ tsp Cinnamon (Optional)
How To
- Put the Shelled Peanuts or Peanut Butter in a blender.
- Pour half the water in the blender and start to blend
- Gradually pour the rest of the water while blending the peanuts.
- Blend thoroughly until liquified
- Slowly Strain the mixture in a jug through a strainer/sieve (pour in a little at a time)
- Add Condensed Milk, Vanilla Essence, Nutmeg, Cinnamon and Honey.
- Mix well. Serve cold
Dairy Free Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup of shelled peanuts
11/4 cup of coconut milk
1/2 cup of dairy free condensed milk
1/2 cup of water
1/2 tsp of vanilla powder (or extract)
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
How To
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Pour the peanuts on a lined baking tray and roast for roughly 5-7 minutes (you should be able to smell the aroma).
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Place the peanuts, water and coconut milk in a blender and blend into the peanuts are ground.
- Pour into a cheesecloth and strain the peanut liquid, squeeze out the excess and discard the pulp.
- Stir in the condensed milk, vanilla, and nutmeg.
- Serve accordingly.
Kid Friendly Version
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups evaporated milk
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- Optional: sugar
- Optional: 1 ripe peeled banana
- Optional: a generous squeeze of chocolate syrup
- Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg
How To
- To a blender container, add evaporated milk, water, vanilla, peanut butter, and optional sugar. (If using the optional banana and chocolate syrup, you might want to omit any optional sugar.)
- Blend for about 10 seconds until smooth.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Tips
- Store any leftover punch in the refrigerate
- Consume within a few days of preparing
- Almonds can be used in case of a peanut allergy
- other plant-based milk such almond can be used instead of coconut milk.
Conclusion
Many may think of peanut punch as a tasty drink from the islands. However, this delicious drink packs a lot of health benefits that you wouldn’t even know of, especially since it’s more like an enjoyable milkshake than a stereotypical health drink. With the ingredients and instructions above you don’t have to travel to Jamaica to experience this drink (although you still should), you can have it right in the comfort of your own home whenever you’d like.